Oh, my sad DNF story is posted in a couple other threads. I flatted about 17 miles into the ride (someone had put wood tacks in the road.) I changed the tube but the tire was too damaged and it blew. I had to hitch a ride back on the sag wagon and run just for the hell of it. Unfortunately there aren't really any local opportunities left this season so I have my eye on Victoria in June. In the meantime, marathon training!

You can see the London Eye just behind me! Was a pretty miserable day, some of the later wave swims were cancelled due to conditions getting so bad!

My mouse is now hovering over the entry button for a 70.3 next year....my leg injury is still far from resolved but hopefully by next September it will be back to form! Also waiting on a balot place for a 100mile cycle ride in August (more of a charity thing), could well be a year of endurance!

Nov 25 Seattle half marathon (C race/training run)Dec 16 Kirkland "12 K's of Christmas" (ditto)Jan A 10K if I can find one locally (ditto)Feb 17 Austin marathon (A race, woot!)May Vancouver half marathon (B or C priority, depending on who I can rope into doing it with me)June Victoria 70.3 (A race!)July Lake Stevens 70.3 (lousy course, but it's local and Ironman branded, B race)Aug/Sept A couple of local sprints or Olympics, probsSept Black Diamond 70.3 (maaaaybe... this is the race I DNF'd, course is super pretty, would be a B race)Nov Volunteer at Ironman Arizona so I get priority registration for IMAZ2014!Dec Wonder what the fork I have done to myself

Yup, full marathon in Austin. Yeah, I did the BMO Vancouver this last May (it's my half marathon PR!) Vancouver is my home town so I was really excited to run up there. The new course this year was fantastic and it's the best organized race I've ever done. I can't race it this year (too close to the half-Iron in Victoria, which is my priority) but I really want to run it again, ideally with some girlfriends. I'd like to do the full there some time because (obviously) you get to see much more of the city.

Awesome Katie! We can compare half iron training notes. I hear Challenge puts on great races.

My sister did the Ironman 70.3 in Austin a year or so ago and that was the first time either one of us had visited and we just loved the city so, so much. It's like a little queer-friendly, veg-friendly, liberal bubble in the middle of Texas with great food and great music and great weather. So when we were looking for a marathon to do we jumped on the chance to go back to Austin for a week or so. I can't wait! Popcorn tofu po'boys! Breakfast tacos! Oh yeah, and a little 26.2 mile run, too.

Been reading up on your exploits. I run halfs and do centuries, never done a tri, I swim like a rock.

I am seriously considering going full time vegan but am still concerned about keeping up with my training.

Any advice on eating plans to support the longer sessions? I know last year I did paleo for a while and had to stop, I had to go back to pasta, my long runs were wiping me for the rest of the day...went back to carbs and was better overnight.

You should look for some duathlons if you're not into swimming. But no one swims like a rock with a wetsuit on. ;)

Honestly, I don't put a hell of a lot of thought into food. I just eat. More than I did before I started training intensely because I'm always hungry. I keep up the carb intake during training sessions with gels/shot blocks/electolyte drinks, etc... And I have something prepared ahead of time for post-intense workouts, usually either a protein shake or something like a Clif bar. Maybe someone else will have some more sophisticated advice for you.

There are some very successful vegan endurance athletes. You might look into Brendan Brazier's book Thrive or Scott Jurek's book Eat and Run.

I think everyone should try a tri (ha ha) at least once! You're obviously very fit so you may well surprise yourself! Try a race with a pool swim if you don't feel so comfortable in open water (although Monkeytoes is right, you are un-sinkable in a wetsuit!)

I don't have much more to add for dietary advice! I stick to pretty simple principles of (as 'good' as possible) carbs before training and high protein after. There's loads more information out there. Brendan Brazier's books are great and I've stumbled upon these 'eat clean' rules which I think are really good advice, especially for me as I'm trying to cut a bit of weight for next season (waaaaaaah) http://www.thetriathloncoach.com/coache ... dium=email

Anyone else gearing up for tri season? I spent the winter marathon training, with just enough swimming to keep my "feel" for the water (some of which I skipped... oops) and very little cycling. I've been back out on the bike for a month or so. It's been tough. And I'm still not very motivated to swim. BUT I have a half-Iron coming up in 54 days! Woot! I'm gonna finish this one, dammit. And I better find my swim mojo soon.

Anyone else gearing up for tri season? I spent the winter marathon training, with just enough swimming to keep my "feel" for the water (some of which I skipped... oops) and very little cycling. I've been back out on the bike for a month or so. It's been tough. And I'm still not very motivated to swim. BUT I have a half-Iron coming up in 54 days! Woot! I'm gonna finish this one, dammit. And I better find my swim mojo soon.

Am reasonably happy with winter training. Lots of swimming as I moved to a new borough where swimming is 60p at all times for students (!) and managed to fit some long cold rides in as well as plenty of turbo time. Just gotta build up the running distance now! You will finish and find the mojo again I am sure!

inceptisol wrote:

I signed up for a tri! It'll be my first and i'm doing the sprint distance cause i'm just learning to swim but I'm excited! It's June 15.

I can't seem to figure out what women wear though. I don't want to have to buy a wetsuit or tri-suit until i decide if i like triathlons. Can i just wear spandex shorts and a running tank?

Excellent! Good luck! Good idea waiting to buy a trisuit. Although I've heard they're great to race in, it's an expensive thing to buy to potentially never use again and they're quite impractical to train in! I would recommend getting some tri shorts with a thin pad in but equally I'm sure your bum would be fine in normal spandex shorts for a sprint. Swim in your sports bra + shorts and whip a top on in transition for bike and run? I've hated every 'tri specific' top I've ever bought because they're soooo tight and always ride up when running. Just purchased this though which looks like a potential non-rider-uper! http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=32436

I signed up for a tri! It'll be my first and i'm doing the sprint distance cause i'm just learning to swim but I'm excited! It's June 15.

I can't seem to figure out what women wear though. I don't want to have to buy a wetsuit or tri-suit until i decide if i like triathlons. Can i just wear spandex shorts and a running tank?

Yay! I hope you love it. You don't need a tri suit to try out a sprint. The advantage, of course, to tri shorts is that the chamois is unobtrusive enough to swim and run in but still provides you a little padding for the bike. But I did my second sprint in running shorts and a running tank with a built-in bra. I might have gotten some sideways looks lining up for the swim, but it worked just fine. Spandex shorts should be fine... dudes swim in "jammers" (long speedos) all the time. If you're willing to buy anything, I'd just buy a pair of tri shorts and wear those and a sports bra for the swim and then chuck on a tank or tee or whatever in T1, like Katie suggests.

You only need a wetsuit if the water is below a certain temperature. If it's warm enough, a wetsuit is a big advantage but not a necessity. I have done a handful of sprints without one.

Thanks for the advice!I'm completely unprepared right now because I just came out of marathon training (and will start a new cycle in a few weeks) so I haven't been on my bike in about a month and have only had 3 swim lessons! But i'm really just doing it for fun and to check out the triathlon world.